It’s a fairly uncommon tile that may someday signify more than symmetry and come to encompass nostalgia once the penny is eventually retired from its status as legal tender. The penny-round tile, normally used as flooring, is beginning to make its way up the walls of bathrooms and kitchens the world over.
As for its history, This Old House Magazine tells it best: “Originally sold in face-mounted paper sheets and set into a sand-and-cement mortar that also served as the grout, easy-to-clean unglazed porcelain circles debuted in bathrooms and kitchens in the early 1900s.”
Although it started out as a black and white only option, it’s now available in custom colors and is becoming ever-popular in sky blues and mint greens. In addition to its use as a wall covering, it’s specifically a fantastic option for a backsplash.
Installation is easier than ever, now that mesh backings and glue dots are becoming more typical. Less ubiquitous than square tiles, these classic discs — usually presented with 3/4- to one-inch diameters — provide a remarkably sweet, retro-modern finish to a small space.
Photo credits: House Tweaking, Remodelista, A Saltbox Interior Design, Design Sponge and Complete Tile.
